gemstones

Indian artisan Neeru Goel shares her lifelong passion for jewelry through her handcrafted designs. "Collecting jewelry and gemstones has been my passion ever since childhood," she says. "I was inspired by my grandmother who used to look into each and every detail, from how jewelry is made to what had been used to make the jewelry." This stunning composite turquoise pendant features a vibrant blue stone set in petals of beaded sterling silver.

Like a twinkling star seen in the dying daylight, this teardrop-shaped pendant with a starburst design from India's Babun Dey subtly glints and gleams; it hangs from a rolo chain necklace with a lobster claw clasp. The sterling silver's finish composed of brightly shimmering and darkly oxidized tones sets off a motif filled with braid work and small beads. In the middle is a cabochon composite turquoise stone in a bezel setting.

Hanging delicately from a sterling silver cable chain, a lovely pendant in turquoise blue and golden yellow exudes radiance. Neeru Goel presents this stunning pendant with marbled blue composite turquoise set in an intricate oval bezel, and accented by beautiful gemstones of luminous citrine.

Three magnificent carats of natural citrine glow alongside blue reconstituted turquoise in this chic pendant necklace. Neeru Goel of India presents these gemstones meticulously arranged within a sterling silver heart pendant.

Hanzi are characters used in Chinese writing. As early as the sixth century A.D., many of these characters began to be simplified and adopted into Japanese writing, where they're known as kanji, a term that is more widely used in the West. Artisans in Yiwu, China, create these pendants by using sterling silver and the lost-wax casting method. Each character emulates the sweeping brushstrokes of traditional calligraphy. Choose based on birth month, favorite color, or simply the symbol that resonates with you most.

January: Garnet/Beauty, February: Amethyst/Generosity, March: Blue Topaz/Affection, April: White Quartz/Love, May: Green Quartz/Sweetness, June: White Pearl/Longevity, July: Carnelian/Perfection, August: Peridot/Purity, September: Iolite/Protection, October: Pink Tourmaline/Happiness, November: Citrine/Artistry, December: Turquoise/Imagination.